4824 Albbm AW, sunt ldo 

El P*so, TX 799052793 

DlY53MW 

1001 Imar. suit* 700 

Nouslon.lx. 770023111 

712l22NSm 

UQO N. TtnIh. Suilt B 

MCAIhn. 7x. 78501-1655 

5r2iaws47 

200 Main Plaza. Suite ux) 

Sm htonlo. TX. 792052797 

5m22E-419~ 

An Epual Oppwtunityl 

Alllrmrtlrr Acllon Employs 

The Attorney General of Texas 

?d~wry 21, 1986 

Eonorablo Srcpha C. Bovrrd 

Orange County Att,miq 

Courthowe 

Orange, tcxbr 771630 

Dear Xr. Itoward: 

Oplnloa 80. Ju-439 

h?: compllbnct vith etction 1A of 

article 6701b. T.T.C.S.. and the 

diemissal of charges 

Pou have asked about the appllcat5on of etctlon 1A of articlt 

670lh. P.T.C.S., the safety rtsponsibUity law, vhich provides thnr nc 

motor vehicle ms,, be operated In this state 

P.T.C.S. 

The 

unltst (I policy of automobile liabbilitg Insurance 

In st ltnrt the minfmum amounts to provide 

evidence of ffnancial responsibility under this 

Act III in effect to Insure bgbinst potential 

loests vhich asp arise out of the operation of 

that v tIhicle. 

l rt. 6701h. llA(b). 

statute further provides: 

Sec.. 1B. (a) On and after January 1, 1982, 

tvtq cmntr andlor gptcbtor in the Start of Ttxat 

shall be required, as s condition of driving, to 

furnftrtr, upon rtqutst. evidence of financial 

rtsporwlbbllity to a lav tnforctmtnt off%car of the 

State of Tuar or tn]r subdivision thereof, or 

agent of the Departcent, or to another person 

involmtd in an sccidtut. 

(b) The follwing tvldtnct of f lnbncial 

rcspoosib~lity SbCi8f Its cbt rtqu1remtnt of 

Subsection (a) of this ttcrion: 

(1) a liabllit~ iosurance policy in tht 

rainFoum limits required by this Act or a photocopy 

of ttat policy; 

. . . . 
. 

See. 1C. Tbilure to msintbln fineecitl rsspool ibility &, dtffired in soCti00 l(10) of this Act 

ie b cl&SO C l isk8tsnor, punishable by s fine of 

not less than Smenty-fhe vllbts ($75). Subsequent offenses rho11 be Clb@S B misdtmtbnors. 

punishbble by t tint of not 1SSS thbn TV0 Eundrtd 

Dollars ($200). 

Sec. ID. Ir 1,~ 8 dtftast to prosecution under 

this Act if the person charged products in court 

en tutomobile Mobility insurbuc8 policy or 8 

ctrtificbtc of es:lf-insurtnce prt.ViOUdy issued co 

thst person thtc: V&S vslid tt the tint that the 

offtnrt is blltgtd to hbvt occurred bnd the charge. 

shell be dismisetd. 

V.T.C.S. art. 6701h. S(lB. lC, 1D. 

YOU 8uggtst 4 fact SituAtiOn vhtre 4 IsotOrjSt trrttttd for 4 

violetion of crticle 6701h. section IA, vhile driving 8 borrowed cnr 

thbt vss not insured by Ithe ovner. produced b policy of liability 

insurance (thbt v&s in tfftct bt the time of the alleged viokition) 

covering himstlf. You tot: vhtthtt the motorist in such t situation 

vould be entitled to dismi,ssal of the thbrgt6 under section 10 of cht 

statute. bnd vhtthtr, in ‘mcdtr to use the dtftnae. the policy produced 

must “contnin lengunge Cxst he ib covered vhtn driving bu unlnsurtd 

vehicle.” 

In Attorney Gtntrrl Opinion I%‘-547 (19821, the “msniftst object” 

bnd purpose of the proviblon vbs raid to be “to bssurt the finnncinl 

rteponsibility of motorir,ts for the protection of those vhose livtc or 

property might be htrmed by the OperbtiOKI of vehicles." Section 18 

requires thbt every “ountr and/or tptfbtorn furnish evidence of 

f intncial rtaponclb51ityJ bad= section ID it is 8 defense to 

prosecution if the “ptrr;a& &f&d produces” on butomobllt libbility 

insurance policy vhfch m!4:C8 cht rtquirtatntr of the bet. 

If the operbtor, vbtthtr or oot he owns the vehicle, productb n 

v&lid policy thbt adtqtrtrrcly protected tbt public at rht time be 

optrbttd the vehicle. he is tnfitltd to dismmibS&l of the charge 

against him under section 1D of brriclt 6701h. V.T.C.S. The polky 

aced not ntctssbri~y cont.&in specific ltngubgt expressly referring to 

vehicles “not insured by the ovut~ thereof.” so long 8s language in 

the policy hta the lt(;rl result of providing stbtutorlly adequate 

COVtrbgt for tht operator vhflt optrbring the vehicle bc the tiw of 

the alleged vlolbtion. Cf. 

,- Attorney Gtntrbl Opinion m-315 (1985); 

IN-577 (1982). 
Roaorrblo Stepbro C. Rourr~d - ?rgo 3 (Jn439) 

It the operator charged with frllurr to 

uttaio flrwcial rempoarlblllty producer an 

automobile liability lnrurrnce policy vhicb met 

the requiremanta of the rrfcty rcspoarlbilicy law 

at tbo time be operated the vehicle, be ie 

entitled to ditrmisaal of the charge rgainrt him 

though the veHcle (if ovned by another) vae not 

insured by the Owner. Ro rpecific policy language 

is required SC’ long aa it ir legally adequate to 

eatirfy the atstute. 

Very truly your J-h . 

JIM l4ATTOX 

Attorney General of Texas 

JACK RIGETOWER 

First Assistant Attorney General 

MART RELLEB 

Executive Assistant Attorney General 

ROBERT GUY 

Special Assistant Attorney General 

RICR GILPIN 

Chairman, Opinion Comdttet 

Prepared by Bxuct Younf,blood 

Assistaot Attorney General